EP4023446A1 - Keramischer hydraulischer verteiler für einen tintenstrahldrucker - Google Patents

Keramischer hydraulischer verteiler für einen tintenstrahldrucker Download PDF

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Publication number
EP4023446A1
EP4023446A1 EP20306713.7A EP20306713A EP4023446A1 EP 4023446 A1 EP4023446 A1 EP 4023446A1 EP 20306713 A EP20306713 A EP 20306713A EP 4023446 A1 EP4023446 A1 EP 4023446A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
planar surface
channel
hydraulic distributor
opening
distributor according
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP20306713.7A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Thierry Jacquier
Stéphane COLLOT
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Dover Europe SARL
Original Assignee
Dover Europe SARL
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Dover Europe SARL filed Critical Dover Europe SARL
Priority to EP20306713.7A priority Critical patent/EP4023446A1/de
Priority to PCT/EP2021/087878 priority patent/WO2022144430A1/en
Priority to EP21844796.9A priority patent/EP4271569A1/de
Publication of EP4023446A1 publication Critical patent/EP4023446A1/de
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor

Definitions

  • the invention relates to the domain of industrial inkjet printers, for example continuous inkjet (CIJ) printers.
  • CIJ continuous inkjet
  • a fluid supply circuit of an ink jet printer comprises several valves, such as solenoid valves or electro-valves.
  • a solenoid valve is an expensive and complex device; as a result, it can be inoperative or have faults which are difficult to identify and/or to repair. Furthermore, the pressure loss between the input and the output of such a valve is important.
  • CIJ printers include solenoid valves for large ink flows, but they are bulky, heavy and expensive.
  • a first object or purpose of the invention is a hydraulic distributor for an ink-jet printer, comprising:
  • Said at least one 2 nd conduct can be in one of said portions and comprises a 2 nd opening in said 1 st planar surface or in said 2 nd planar surface or in said at least one channel.
  • a hydraulic distributor according to the invention preferably further comprises means for moving both portions with respect to each other, so that:
  • a hydraulic distributor according to the invention can have more than 2 2 openings or ducts or conducts, so that in one or more relative position(s) of both portions more than 2 openings or ducts or conducts can be connected together, possibly through a channel in order to guide or conduct a fluid partly in a direction substantially parallel to said 2 nd planar surface or said 1 st planar surface, and fluid can flow from at least one opening or duct or conduct to at least two other openings or ducts or conducts or from at least 2 openings or ducts or conducts to at least one or more of them.
  • a hydraulic distributor according to the invention does not make use of any gaskets and is thus more robust than solenoid valves or electro-valves.
  • said hydraulic distributor comprises at least one channel extending in said second portion, for example at least partly in said 2 nd planar surface, to guide or conduct a fluid in a direction substantially parallel to said 2 nd planar surface or to said 1 st planar surface, and:
  • said hydraulic distributor comprises at least one at least one 2 nd conduct in said 2 nd portion, comprising a 2 nd opening in said 2 nd planar surface and:
  • said means for moving both portions with respect to each other are able to move at least one of said portions circularly around an axis perpendicular to both said 1 st planar surface and said 2 nd planar surface.
  • said means may comprise a rotating shaft, which extends along said axis.
  • One end of said shaft being inserted in a hole in said 2 nd portion.
  • Each of said shaft and said hole may comprise a flat surface which extends parallel to said axis and which cooperate which each other to rotate both said shaft and said 2 nd portion.
  • said means for moving both portions with respect to each other are able to move at least one of said portions in translation along an axis parallel to both said 1 st planar surface and said 2 nd planar surface.
  • a hydraulic distributor according to the invention can further comprises means, for example a spring, for pressing said 1 st planar surface and said 2 nd planar surface against each other.
  • said 1 st portion can comprise at least 3 conducts, each comprising an opening in said 1 st planar surface, so that said channel, which guides or conducts a fluid in a direction substantially parallel to said 2 nd planar surface or to said 1 st planar surface, connects:
  • a hydraulic distributor according to the invention can comprise a plurality of channels extending in said 2 nd portion, or at least partly in said 2 nd planar surface, to conduct a fluid in at least two different directions substantially parallel to said 2 nd planar surface.
  • said means for moving both portions with respect to each other can comprise a motor, for example an electric or hydraulic or pneumatic motor.
  • the invention also concerns an ink jet printer comprising a print head and an ink supply circuit, said ink supply circuit comprising at least one hydraulic distributor according to the invention.
  • the invention also concerns a method for operating an inkjet printer according to the invention, in particular according to at least one of the embodiments described above or in this application.
  • Said method can comprise moving both portions of said at least one hydraulic distributor with respect to each other between said first positions and said second position, so that:
  • said method can comprise moving both portions of said at least one hydraulic distributor with respect to each other between said first positions and said second position, so that:
  • FIG. 1A-2B A first example of an embodiment of a hydraulic distributor according to the invention is illustrated on figures 1A-2B .
  • both flat surfaces 4, 10 are in friction contact with each other: they can be rotated relative to each other but remain in contact during the rotation. No fluid can flow out of the device between both surfaces: the contact at the interface between both surfaces is watertight.
  • a device according to the invention does not require any gasket.
  • Means 30, such as a spring, can be used to press both surfaces against each other.
  • the first portion rests on a support 11 on which it can be maintained in a fixed position; each of the first portion and the support can comprise means 13 ( figure 2B ), 14 ( figure 1B ) which cooperate with each other to keep the first portion in a fixed position.
  • both portions 2, 8 have a cylindrical shape, but other shapes are possible, as described below in connection with figures 10A-10C .
  • the hydraulic distributor comprises a shaft 20 which extends along an axis of rotation to rotate portion 8 with respect to portion 2.
  • a handle 27 is represented on figures 2A and 2B to manually control said shaft.
  • said shaft can be controlled by a motor (as explained below in connection with figures 14A-14C ), which itself can be controlled by the controller of a printer.
  • a cover 25 can cover the two portions ( figure 2B ): one end of the shaft 20 rises above the top surface of the cover so that it can be connected to a handle 27 or to any transmission mechanism from a motor.
  • Figures 1C and 1D show a variant of figure 1A and 1B .
  • Like on figures 1A and 1B :
  • the surface of the second portion opposed to surface 10 comprises several holes 21 which can accommodate studs of a tool or of a driving section (see figures 14A-14B ), to rotate the second portion 8 with respect to the first portion 2.
  • a central shaft which traverses through the second portion is not needed.
  • Both first and second portions can be guided in rotation in a guiding cylinder 37, as illustrated on figure 1E , fluid entering the distributor through one of said ducts 6, then flowing along said channel 12 and leaving the distributor through another one of said ducts 6.
  • the hydraulic distributor of figures 1C and 1D can be inserted in guiding cylinder 37, which guides both portions 2, 8 with respect to each other, portion 2 being maintained fixed with help of means (like means 13, 14 described above) not illustrated on the figure.
  • the arrows show how the fluid flows into the distributor through duct 6 1 , then flows in or through the channel 12 and flows out of the distributor through duct 6 2 .
  • the portion 2 has 3 through ducts, which are connected together in a certain relative position of both portions 2, 8.
  • Figures 3A and 3B show surface 4 of the first portion (which comprises 3 through ducts 6 1 - 6 3 ) and surface 10 of the second portion (which comprises one channel 12); as illustrated on figures 3A and 3B (on which hole 14 is not represented):
  • a spring 30 can be used to press said first portion 2 against said second portion 8.
  • Fig.4 shows a simpler example of a hydraulic distributor (actually a hydraulic shutter) according to the invention, the first portion 2 comprising two through ducts 6 1 , 6 2 and the 2 nd portion 6 having one channel 12.
  • the channel 12 connects both ducts 6 1 , 6 2 and the fluid can circulate from one of said ducts to the other one.
  • the channel 12 does not connect ducts 6 1 , 6 2 together and the fluid circulation is stopped.
  • Fig. 5A and 5B show an example of a hydraulic distributor according to the invention, the first portion 2 comprising 6 through ducts 6 1 - 6 6 and the 2 nd portion 8 having 2 channels 12 1 , 12 2 .
  • Figure 6A shows the surface 10' of the second portion 8 opposed to surface 10; this surface 18 comprises several holes 21 as explained above to drive the second portion with respect to the first portion.
  • Figure 6B shows the surface 10 of the second portion 8 which comprises the 2 channels 12 1 , 12 2 .
  • figures 6A-9B 4 different relative positions of the both portions are illustrated on figures 6A-9B to connect different pairs or series of through ducts 6 1 - 6 6 .
  • figures 6B, 7B , 8B, 9B show the different positions of the 2 channels 12 1 , 12 2 and the projection on surface 10 of the positions of the ducts 6 1 - 6 6 :
  • a hydraulic distributor according to the invention can connect more than two ducts together.
  • a linear hydraulic distributor according to the invention is disclosed in connection with fig.10A-11 ; like the circular device disclosed above, it can have any number of through ducts 6, and any number of appropriate channels to establish the required connections between the through ducts in the different relative positions of the two portions 2, 8.
  • a linear hydraulic distributor according to the invention implements a relative translation of the 2 portions rather than a rotation.
  • Both portions can be maintained by lateral guiding walls 47 guiding the translation of one portion of said hydraulic distributor with respect to the other; this translation can be actuated by an actuating link or a button or by a motor, for example an electric or hydraulic or pneumatic motor, coupled to one of the portions 108, 102
  • a spring can be used between one of the guiding walls, parallel to the direction of the translation to press said both portions of said hydraulic distributor against each other.
  • a channel 12 opens at least partly or is at least partly comprised in the surface 10.
  • said channel is made inside said 2 nd portion and does not appear in the surface 10 of said 2 nd portion.
  • Figures 11A and11B shows an example of a second portion made by assembling two parts 8 1 , 8 2 , to form an inside channel 12a, which can be connected to any of the main surfaces 10, 10' by one or more ducts 121, 122 which extend substantially perpendicularly to said surfaces 10, 10'.
  • Both ducts 121 and 122 can cooperate with ducts 6 of figures 1A-1D : for example, a fluid flows from the first portion 2 into the second portion 8 through duct 121, then flows through channel 12a and flows out of second portion 8 through duct 122 and then flows back to the 1 st portion.
  • Figures 11A-11B show only one inside channel but several channels 12 1 , 12 2 can be made inside the second portion, each comprising one or more duct(s) to connect with surface 10 and/or with surface 10'.
  • Figure 12 shows 2 inside channels 120 2 , 120 2 distributed like those of figure 5A but made inside the second portion by assembling two parts 8 1 , 8 2 as explained above.
  • Each channel has its own ducts 121 1 , 122 1 and 121 2 , 122 2 to communicate with the surface 10 and/or with surface 10'.
  • Assembling the two parts 8 1 , 8 2 can be made by gluing or soldering said two parts after aligning them so that both half channels 12 1 , 12 2 can form a single channel 12a. There is an assembly plane between said two part.
  • any of the ducts 6, 6 1 -6 5 , 106, 106 1 -106 4 and/or of the channel(s) 12, 12 1 -12 2 , 112 1 -112 3 can have a diameter of up to 2 mm or more, allowing important flow rates, up to 10 l/h or 15 l/h or even more, for example 20 l/h or 100 l/h.
  • Some solenoid valves are compatible with such flow rates, but they are bulky, heavy and expensive.
  • the second portion 8 of the device comprises at least one inside channel in which a fluid can flow parallel to surface 10 or 10'.
  • the second portion 8 has one or more ducts or through ducts 60 1 , 60 2 but has no channel for a flow parallel to surface 10 or 10'.
  • one or more ducts or through ducts 60 1 , 60 2 can be aligned or not with one or more duct(s) 6 1 - 6 3 of the first portion 2; thus, a flow a fluid to flow from one side of the device to the other or from one or more duct(s) 6 1 - 6 3 of the first portion 2 directly to one or more ducts 60 1 , 60 2 of the other portion 8.
  • This embodiment can also include, in addition, one or more channel(s) 12, 12 1 , 12 2 like illustrated on figures 1A-9B or 112 1 -112 3 (linear embodiment), and/or one or more inside channel(s) 12a, 12a1, 12a2 like illustrated on figures 11A-12 .
  • a fluid can also flow partly parallel to surface 10 or 10'.
  • a driving section 40 has 2 parallel surfaces 40' and 40". It comprises studs 41 distributed on one of said surface 40' to penetrate into holes 21 of second section 8.
  • the other main surface 40" of said driving section 40 comprises a drive shaft 43s.
  • a pressure spring 31 presses on the driving section of the hydraulic distributor when the device is assembled and accommodated in a hole 51 of a body 50 ( figure 14C ), said spring being compressed between said driving section 43 and an end plate 52 of the body 50 which closes the hole 51.
  • the driving shaft 43s traverses the plate 52 through a central hole 52 h .
  • a motor (not illustrated on the figure), for example an electric or hydraulic or pneumatic motor, can drive the shaft 43s, and the second portion 8, in rotation, to change the position of the channel 12 with respect to the first portion, thus varying the fluid communication of the distributor, for example as illustrated on figures 3A and 3B .
  • a device according to the invention is adapted to a printer comprising a single-nozzle or a multi-nozzle ink jet print head, as represented on figures 1 and 17 of EP 17186002 .
  • a device according to the invention is implemented in any part of a fluid circuit of a CIJ printer, to replace any known valve, in particular any solenoid valve.
  • a device according to the invention can be positioned upstream of any pump which pumps ink or solvent from an ink tank or from an ink cartridge or from a solvent tank or cartridge and which is to be sent to a main tank or to a print head of a CIJ printer.
  • any pump which pumps ink or solvent can be positioned downstream of any pump which pumps ink or solvent, with a pressure of fluid circulating in said pump of up to several bars, for example 3 or 5 bars.
  • a device according to the invention can be operated so as to guide a flow of fluid, for example ink and/or solvent of an ink jet printer:
  • the fluid flow rate can be comprised between 1l/h or 5 l/h and 10 l/h or 15 l/h or even more, for example 20 l/h or 100 l/h.
  • the pressure of fluid circulating in a device according to the invention can be higher than 1 or 2 bars, and up to several bars, for example less than 3 or 5 bars or even 10 bars.
  • Said fluid can be pumped by a pump of an ink circuit of a CIJ printer.
EP20306713.7A 2020-12-30 2020-12-30 Keramischer hydraulischer verteiler für einen tintenstrahldrucker Pending EP4023446A1 (de)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP20306713.7A EP4023446A1 (de) 2020-12-30 2020-12-30 Keramischer hydraulischer verteiler für einen tintenstrahldrucker
PCT/EP2021/087878 WO2022144430A1 (en) 2020-12-30 2021-12-30 Continuous inkjet printer
EP21844796.9A EP4271569A1 (de) 2020-12-30 2021-12-30 Kontinuierlicher tintenstrahldrucker

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP20306713.7A EP4023446A1 (de) 2020-12-30 2020-12-30 Keramischer hydraulischer verteiler für einen tintenstrahldrucker

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4023446A1 true EP4023446A1 (de) 2022-07-06

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EP20306713.7A Pending EP4023446A1 (de) 2020-12-30 2020-12-30 Keramischer hydraulischer verteiler für einen tintenstrahldrucker

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Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6874876B2 (en) * 2000-01-21 2005-04-05 Seiko Epson Corporation Ink cartridge for use with recording apparatus and ink jet recording apparatus
US20070091152A1 (en) * 2005-10-21 2007-04-26 Oce-Technologies B.V. Mounting structure for a printhead
US7393088B2 (en) * 2004-06-14 2008-07-01 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Method of filling ink cartridge, cartridge filler, jig, and ink supply system
US20090122121A1 (en) * 2007-11-14 2009-05-14 Masayuki Kawasaki Ink storage container
US20090295884A1 (en) * 2008-05-30 2009-12-03 Ricoh Company, Ltd. Fluid supply apparatus and image forming apparatus
US10189268B2 (en) * 2015-06-29 2019-01-29 Dover Europe Sarl Solvent or ink container plug

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6874876B2 (en) * 2000-01-21 2005-04-05 Seiko Epson Corporation Ink cartridge for use with recording apparatus and ink jet recording apparatus
US7393088B2 (en) * 2004-06-14 2008-07-01 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Method of filling ink cartridge, cartridge filler, jig, and ink supply system
US20070091152A1 (en) * 2005-10-21 2007-04-26 Oce-Technologies B.V. Mounting structure for a printhead
US20090122121A1 (en) * 2007-11-14 2009-05-14 Masayuki Kawasaki Ink storage container
US20090295884A1 (en) * 2008-05-30 2009-12-03 Ricoh Company, Ltd. Fluid supply apparatus and image forming apparatus
US10189268B2 (en) * 2015-06-29 2019-01-29 Dover Europe Sarl Solvent or ink container plug

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